Bag-fastener.



L. B. PRAHAR.

BAG FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1912.

1,030,789.. Patented June 25, 191 2.

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s ATE r or LOUIS B. PRAHAR, OF MASSAPEQUA, NEW YORK.

BAG-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Application filed April 22, 1912. Serial No. 692,287.

or the like be unusually full or if either the projecting membersconstituting the fastener or the jaws themselves become bent orloosened, it often happens that the jaws are accidentally opened and thecontents of the bag is lost or extracted without the knowledge of theowner. Various forms of auxiliary locking means have been tried toinsure against this, but all with which I am familiar are subject tosome objection.

My invention involves a new and im proved locking means for the jaws ofhand bags and the like and by which I seek to overcome the objectionsfound in those heretofore employed.

One object of my-invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture both asregards ma terial employed andthe tools and labor required in themanufacture.

Another object is to form the auxiliary locking member suiiicientlylarge so that it may be readily operated even while the owner is wearingheavy gloves or thick mittens.

A further object is to render the device 4 conspicuous when raised andthus insure the operative positioning of it when the jaws are closed andto render it inconspicuous or pleasing in appearance when so positioned.

A further object is to prevent the knobs from springing past each otherby preventing the relative movement of them in the direction of thelength of the jaws and thus avoid trouble which might arise from thewearing or loosening of the pivots of the jaws. v

A further object is to permit the use of the device with any characterof jaws irrespective of the character of the outer sur- 0 face andwithout liability of scratching or wearing said surface. In other wordsI seek to avoid any rubbing of the locking means down across the outersides of the jaws or bag body.

All of these objects I fulfil in the preferred embodiment of myinvention which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing to whichreference is to be had and .in which separate reference charactersindicate corresponding parts in the several views. i

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bag jaw having alocking member constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is atop view thereof and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail.

My invention is illustrated as being applied to a conventional type ofconstruction in which there are two aws 10 and 11 pivoted together andadapted to be fastened tothe body of the bag. On the two aws are twoprojecting members 12 and 18 each formed and secured in place in anysuitable manner and terminating in balls or knobs 1 1 and 15 adapted tospring or snap past each other'to hold the jaws together. As these partsdo not in themselves involve any portion of my inventionit is evidentthat they may be varied at will.

My improved locking device in the form illustrated includes a strip ofsheet metal 16 cut to the proper form and bent to form a loop with thetwo opposite end portions 17 and 18 disposed upon opposite sides of oneof the projecting members, for instance the member 13 and pivotallysecured thereto by a transversely extending pivot pin or rivet 19. Theloop portion 20 is sufficiently large to swing down over both of theknobs 14c and 15 and into engagement with the top surfaces of the twoaws. The members 12 and 13 are preferably made of sheet metal similar incharacter to that forming the loop and the outer peripheral edges of theloop and the projecting members are so cut that it is attractive and thelocking member rendered inconspicuous. To permit the looking member toswing into engagement with the aws and permit the outline of the outeredge of the locking member to merge into that of the projecting members12 and 13 I provide the locking member adjacent the outer end of theloop with a recess 21 adapted to coact with a recess 22 in theprojecting member 12 as is clearly shown on the drawer. I

ing. It will be noted that .one side of the recess 22 presents ashoulder and that this shoulder engages with the inner side of the loopadjacent to the free end of the latter. As the loop is pivoted to theother projecting member 13 it is evident that when the loop is in placeit positively prevents any relative movement of the projecting memherein the plane of the jaws or in the direction of the length of the jaws.prevents any lost motion in the parts in case the jaws are loosened attheir pivotal connections.

The locking member being formed of a single piece of sheet metal isinexpensive to manufacture and it does not materially add to the cost ofmanufacture of the jaws. It does not involve any change in the jaws sothat it 'may be readily applied to jaws already manufactured. There areno side flanges which engage with the sides of the jaws and thus saidsides may be ornamented in any suitable manner. The loop issufficientlylarge so that it may be easily handled and is so conspicuousthat there is very little liability of the owner closing the bag andleaving the loop extending upwardly in inoperative position. lVhen inoperative position it is hardly noticeable or rather it merges into theother part 'so as to be inconspicuous. 1

It is of course evident that various changes may be made within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a pair of pivot- -ed jaws having'fasteningmembers projecting therefrom, of an auxiliary fastening member pivotedto one of said projecting This also members and swinging in the plane ofthe aws.

2. The combination with a pair of pivoted jaws having fastening membersprojecting therefrom, of an auxiliary fastening member pivoted to one ofsaid projecting members and swinging in the plane of the jaws intoengagement with the top surface of said lflli 3. The combination with apair of pivoted jaws having fastening members projecting therefrom, of apivoted auxiliary fastening member carried by one jaw and having arecess adapted to receive the projecting member of the other jaw.

l. The combination with a pair of pivoted jaws having fasteningmembersprojecting therefrom, of a pivoted sheet metal loop carried by one jawand having a recess adjacent to its free end adapted to receive theprojecting member of the other jaw-and prevent movement of saidprojecting members in the plane of the jaws.

5. The combination with a pair of pivoted jaws having projecting membersI carried thereby and coacting to hold said aws together, of anauxiliary locking member formed of a. strip of sheet metal adapted to bebent to form a loop encircling the engaging portions of said firstmentioned members and having its ends pivotally secured on oppositesides of one of said projecting members one edge of said strip lying ina single plane adapted to engage with the top surface of said jaw.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this18th day of April A. D. 1912.

LOUIS B. PRAHAR. Witnesses 5 C. lV. FAIRBANK,

FLORENCE SnvIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

